Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-06
uAIRsrON GETS TWELVE YEARS.
End Of the Greensboro Murder
Trial-Crops and q Strange
Funeral.
once Of The Rlchmond,plspatch.l


Correspondence Of the Richmond.D
GREENspoRo', n. G., Sept. 3, 1887.
When the case of the State against
Allan Hairston, for the killing of
Charles Blackburn, was called Saturday
it was almost impossible to get through
the excited crowd that had packe
itself into the courthouse an hour or
two beforehand. All the standing
room was taken, and such was the pres
sure that Judge Shepherd ordered the
aislcs a be cleared. The prominence
of the actors in the tragedy made the
trial one of profound interest to the
negroes, and their sympathies were
almost wholly with the murdered man.
They seemed to have no doubt that the
extreme penalty of the law would be
speedily meted out to the slayer. The
thrill OF nervous excitement could not
have been greater if 1t had been an eX-
ecutlOn. When the prisoner was
brought in his meanness was painfully
manifest. 1T was remarked by some
that started at the word murder. y
The State was represented Ivy Solicitor
Strayhorn, assisted 10y eX-Judge Thomas
Rufin. The defence was conducted by
Colonies Joseph f. Boyd and Joseph L..
Morchead and Mr.. John A. Barringcr-
a strong team on both sides.
After all the evidence was in the
prosecution stated that they could not,
on the evidence, conscicntiously ask for
a verdict of murder in the first degree,
but would accept Of verdict upon the
second count-manslaughter. The case
was then given to the Court without
argument, and verdict rendered in ac.
cordance with the above.
The outcome was surprise to every
body, as both conviction and feeling
was strong that the defendant deserved
and would get the extreme penalty of
the law he had, without doubt. will
fully violated. The evidence did not
show what the community felt was the
true sfGtUs of the case.
The sentence is twelve years in the
States prison.
1t is reasonable to conjecture that
Thanksgiving Day will be big occa-
sion. and one that will be observed with
all due reverence byall classes, judging
from the satisfaction expressed mt the
abundant haryests Of all kinds. "The
Oldest inhabitant' has never seen the
corn crop cqualled for quantity and
quality. Earlier in the season the
wheat exceeded all expectation. The
husbandman has seen plenty spring mp
round him as if bymaglc, Corn grows
Just anywhere, and the t0iling Iarheel
viii snap Lis fingers ia the iacc of the
weston man this year. The only
thing to be- deplorcd i'll this line is the
imluIc-the utter fmlure-of the pclch
crop, but this has been supplemented to
some extent financially, and to an enor-
nous extent Ga~tronomically. by the
watermelon in millions. And they con-
tiuuc to come. The exit Of summer
and the advent of cool, frosty autumn
shows 10 abatement. The yoraciou-
small hoy and the festive darby still
rcyd il the short lived, saccharine
bonanza. Sic hUH,H. dc.
HAT III 4tlul 'Vff' IT, Win u HA''"' -
through our city last week consisting
Of the stcpfathcr, mother and sister OF
the lynchcd man, Eugene Hairston
(neerol, who came to the end OF rope
Ivy masked party OF 200 men, was
not without its deeply pathetic aspect.
The coroner had brought the body iuto
town, and alter the inquest turned 1t
over TO the city authorities. As the
negroes would not allow the burial
in their cemetery the bodywa3 sent out
TO the county T0or-house, three mile:
distant. Just before Its iuterment tin,
above named friends called for It, aud
the three, riding on the wagon, carry
ing the box covered with green bushes
made mp the funeral procession.
Dr. Edward Lindsay, a leading drug
gist Of this place, a sc.on Of one OF Tho
Oldest and most highly respected fanl
hes OF this town, died this morning
after brief illness of only three days
Deceased leaves a wife and three chill.
dren. i. ". l.